Nursing through Adversity

My son is now five months old and breastfeeds like a champ, but I can remember just a few short months ago feeling that we would never get the hang of it; I would be doomed to pump forever. I never realized how every little thing that happens during the birth of a child can affect his ability to breastfeed. I was induced 3 weeks early, given Pitocin, Stadol and an Epidural, and Ryland was delivered with the assistance of a vacuum due to a drop in his heart rate. He was also a little slow to breathe. All of this, combined with his severe jaundice, set the stage for a very long road to breastfeeding.

My milk didn’t come in until day 5 and the nurses in the hospital, although they were all supposed to be Lactation Consultants, offerend no help. Ryland quickly becamed jaundiced after we took him home and I was pressured by the Pediatricians to give him formula to help “push the bilirubin through his system more quickly.” So I did. My husband and I would alternate every other bottle with formula and pumped breast milk. Finally, we got rid of the jaundice but I still couldn’t him to latch on and nurse. He would arch his back and scream and I would cry and feel like a failure. I kept thinking that no one ever told me how difficult it would be! I remember sitting in bed pumping every hour (with a hand pump) around the clock and crying. So many times I was ready to give up but I really wanted to nurse my son.

Finally, after 2 weeks, I found a La Leche League meeting nearby and off we went. The ladies were so great, they helped me latch him and he actually breastfed!! I was thrilled. I tried again when we got home and once again he nursed and I thought we were finally set! And then he went back to the arching and screaming. Two weeks after that I scheduled an appointment with a Lactation Consultant and had a three hour meeting with her. She informed me that an epidural can affect a baby for up to 2 months, if not longer, after birth. She taught me how to use a nipple shield, helped me latch him, and introduced me to Mother’s Milk Tea and finally got us on the right track. I left there feeling better than I had since he’d been born. We still had problems but we were nursing! Ryland was still fussy, but I started to notice it was only right after eating. And he was still arching his back and crying. Finally I got on the internet and started reading some articles on Dr. Sears’ website about Reflux. Ryland fit the profile exactly, so I made an appointment with our Pediatrician and took him in. We started Ryland on Zantac and saw immediate results.

When Ryland was about 3 months old I did away with the nipple shield and he’s been breastfeeding ever since. Actually, he won’t even take a bottle now! After everything I went through trying to nurse him, I can’t think of a bigger compliment from my son! Although it would be nice to leave him for more than 2 hours at a time, I think back to when I was pumping while my husband bottle fed him and I know how blessed I am to have made it this far. I pretty much went through hell to be able to nurse my son but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Breastfeeding just feels so right; I can honestly say I would have done whatever it took to be able to give this gift to my son. For in doing so, I am also giving a gift to myself. I look at my chunky little man and feel such an enormous amount of accomplishment. Not only was I able to carry him and bring him into this world … my milk put those rolls on his little legs. Breastfeeding is the most rewarding thing I have ever done and I am infinitely glad that I was so determined. It has all been worth it in the end.

Christi Colvin is a WAHM with one beautiful son (for now) and a wonderful husband. She is also “webmom” to a site that allows moms to market and sell their products without the hassle of running a website. Visit http://www.CraftyMommy.com for more information.